Printing station apparatus for a bank passbook type document

ABSTRACT

A print station apparatus for feeding and printing on a bank passbook type document is provided with a platen constructed of low durometer rubber and having a plurality of alternating annular grooves and rings disposed longitudinally along the platen, whereby each of the annular ring portions may undergo resilient lateral expansion to accommodate the variations in the passbook document thickness during feeding and printing operations.

Unite States Patent Brumbaugh Feb. 25, 1975 [541 PRINTING STATION APPARATUS FOR A 2,202,595 5/1940 Muller 197/128 BANK PASSBOOK TYPE OC 2,588,993 3/1952 Schroeder 197/144 UX 2,650,688 9/1953 Anderson 197/127 R [75] Inventor: Phrhp A. Brumbaugh, d cott, 3,100,037 8/1963 Green et a1. 197/127 R N.Y. 3,461,235 8/1969 Willcox et a1, 178/25 Assigneez International Business Machines 3,480,127 11/1969 Hesse et a1 197/144 Corporation, Armonk, NY. I, Przmary Examiner-Ernest T. Wright, Jr. 1 1 Flledi June 13, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmCharles S. Neave [21] Appl. No.: 369,623

[57] ABSTRACT U-S. CI. R, A print tation apparatus for feeding and printing on a bank passbook type document is provided with a 1 1 Field 0f Search 197/2, 114 R, 133 R, platen constructed of low durometer rubber and hav- 197/138 A, 144, 147, 127, 128; 178/25 ing a plurality of alternating annular grooves and rings disposed longitudinally along the platen, whereby each 1 1 References Cited of the annular ring portions may undergo resilient lat- UNITED STATES PATENTS eral expansion to accommodate the variations in the 1,913,753 6/1933 Going 197/138 R P F P doclfment thickness during feeding and 2,031,872 2/1936 Wightman... 197/144 UX Prmtmg operatlons- 2,056,393 10/1936 Didzuns 197/114 R X 2,073,209 3 1937 Heitman et a1. 197/144 ux 6 Clams 3 Drawmg Flgules WNW Q1; w 5 1 f 2 2s 103 51 4/ 4 24 1' I N 25 I06 \bn L/L' I,",\ i 25a- ,n I 251) 17 44 b x PAIENIEQFEBZSIQYS sum 1 o 2 v gu 7T H II Illllllllllh Ill PAIENTH] FEB 2 5 I975 SHEET 2 0F 2 PRINTING STATION APPARATUS FOR A BANK PASSBOOK TYPE DOCUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an improved print station apparatus for feeding and printing on a bank passbook type document, and more particularly, to a rotatable platen of resilient deformable material having a plurality of alternating annular grooves and rings therein to accommodate thickness variations of the passbook document during feeding and printing operations.

2. Description of the Prior Art The conventional printing platens normally have a smooth cylindrical periphery and are usually fabricated of a high durometer rubber and have a low amount of yieldability.

This type of platen has a number of disadvantages when utilized in bookkeeping machines .which are designed to handle passbook type documents. Passbooks are made with varying numbers of pages and consequently the thickness at the centerfold of the passbook will vary widely depending upon the page and position of the page at which it is desired to print data.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,127 discloses a printing platen for calculating and bookkeeping machines wherein the platen is provided with an outer jacket that is subdivided by transversal grooves into parallel rings corresponding in their spacing to the spacing of the type bars. U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,235 illustrates apparatus in FIG. 7 whereby the paper from a supply roll passes about an idler roller 134 against which it is pressed by a rubber-covered drive roller 136. The paper issues in front of a platen-like plate 94 and behind a paper guide 96. U.S. Pat. No. 1,913,753 relates to the paper feed mechanism for a typewriting machine and utilizes variable speed transmission devices in the driving connections between the feed rollers and the platen that will automatically vary the speed at which the feed rollers are driven from the platen, depending upon the number of sheets being fed together between the feed rollers and the platen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The print station apparatus for feeding and printing on a passbook type document overcomes the disadvantages of the prior known constructions and includes the features and advantages of providing a good rotatably driven platen of resilient deformable material and including ring portions designed to undergo resilient lat eral expansion to accommodate the document thickness variations during feeding and printing operations.

Briefly, the print station apparatus for feeding and printing on a passbook type document comprises a base plate and a pair of side frames extending upwardly from the base plate. A rotatable document drive rod and a wedge-shaped bar assembly are mounted in fixed relationship between the side frames. A rotatable platen of resilient deformable material and having a plurality of alternating annular grooves and rings disposed longitudinally thereof is supported by pivotal means within the side frames. Electromagnetically controlled means are included for incrementally driving the document drive rod and platen with correlative movement. An electromagnetically controlled mechanical means is coupled with the pivotal means and operable to move the platen assembly toward the document drive rod for engaging and feeding a document inserted therebetween. After the passbook document has been incrementally moved to a predetermined position, another electromagnetically controlled apparatus coupled with the pivotal apparatus is operable to move the platen into a printing position. A printer device is then movable along an axis parallel to the platen for printing along a printable line on the passbook type document.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide improved print and feeding station apparatus including a rotatable platen of a highly resilient material particularly adapted to accommodate document thickness variations for a bank passbook processing machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide control means for moving the platen into document feeding and printing positions.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a right side fragmentary elevational view of a passbook feeding and printing station apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a passbook feeding and printing station apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram for the control solenoids.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a print station apparatus including the means for feeding and printing on a passbook type document. The apparatus comprises a base plate 10 to which is attached the right side frame 11 and the left side frame 12. A wedge-shaped bar 13 is supported between the side frames 11 and 12. A document drive rod 14 is rotatably supported by the bearings 15 and 16 attached to the wedge-shaped bar 13 by means of screws 15a and 16a, respectively, and in spaced apart relationship therefrom in order to provide a document alignment and print opening 9.

A passbook guide plate 17 is supported from the base plate 10. A guide block 18 is rigidly attached to the left end of the guide plate 17. Another guide block 19 is slidably adjustable from left to right to accommodate passbook documents of different widths and is secured in the adjusted position to the guide plate 17 by the thumb screw 20.

The apparatus of the instant invention utilizes a platen body 21 of elastic or resilient material, as for example, a low durometer rubber in the range of 20 to 50. This is fairly soft rubber. The platen body 21 has a plurality of annular grooves 22 disposed axially of the platen body 21. The grooves 22 provide rings 23 which function for document backing and support. The grooves 22 have a cross-sectional shape and size to enable ring 23 deflection of the respectively adjoining annular rings 23.

The platen body 21 is mounted. on a shaft 24 which is rotatably and pivotally supported by the bell cranks 25 and 26. The bell cranks 25 and 26 are pivotally supported by studs 27 and 28 mounted in the arms 29 and 30, respectively. Arm 29 is pivotally attached to the right side frame 11 by means of the stud 31 while arm is pivotally supported on bushing 32 that is mounted in the left side frame 12.

The document drive rod 14 and the platen body 21 are adapted to be incrementally, rotatably, and correlatively driven. The drive force is electromagnetically provided by the feed drive solenoid 35 when coupled to the power source 80 by manual actuation of the switch 81. The feed drive solenoid 35 is connected by the link 36 to a ratchet drive mechanism 37 that is securely attached to the shaft 34. The shaft 34 is coupled by the cogged wheel 38, the flexible cogged belt 39, the cogged wheel 40 and the inner meshed gears 41 and 42. Gear 42 is secured to shaft 24. In this manner the platen 21 is rotatably driven. The shaft 34 is coupled by the cogged wheel 43, the flexible cogged belt 44, and the cogged wheel 45 which is secured to the document drive rod 14. In this manner the document drive rod 14 is rotatably driven. The platen 21 and the document drive rod 14 are driven with correlative movement to enable a bank passbook document feeding which will be more fully explained later in the description.

In the idle condition, the platen 21 assumes its a position wherein the rings 23 are not in contact with the document drive rod 14. In the operation when a bank passbook is to be fed to the print station of the apparatus, the passbook 50 is first opened to the proper page and placed on the passbook guide plate 17. The passbook 50 is then manually pushed to a point where the leading edge arrives under the document drive rod 14. By way of operator control the electromagnetic feed positioning solenoid 51 is energized when coupled to the power source 80 by manual actuation of the switch 82. The plunger 52 of the solenoid 51 is connected by link 53 to an off-set pin 54a on the disk 54. The disk 54 is secured to shaft 55 which is rotatably mounted in the side frames 11 and 12. The shaft 55 is normally held in its unoperated position by means of a spring 56 which is attached to off-set pin 54b on disk 54 and to the base plate 10. The energizing of solenoid 51 rocks shaft 55 wherein the arms 57 and 58, which are attached to shaft 55, engage arms 29 and 30, respectively, urging them upwards to the b position whereby the platen rings 23 will press the passbook 50 against the document drive rod 14. The feeding of the passbook 50 is accomplished by the energization of the feed drive solenoid 35, one line or space for each energization of solenoid 35. The action is continued until the desired line of the passbook 50 is advanced into the print station which is the space or opening 9 between the document drive rod 14 and the wedge-shaped bar 13.

In the feeding of the passbook 50, the leading edge passes through the print station 9, which is between the document drive rod 14 and the wedge-shaped bar 13, and into engagement with the lower side of the wedgeshaped bar 13 and passes thereunder.

When the document 50 has been moved to the print position, the print position solenoid 61 is energized by manual actuation of switch 83 under operator control. The plunger 62 of the solenoid 61 is connected by link 63 to an off-set pin 64a on disk 64. The disk 64 is secured to the shaft 65 which is rotatably mounted in the side frames 11 and 12. The shaft 65 is normally biased by means of a spring 66 which is attached to the off-set pin 64b on disk 64 and to the base plate 10. The energizing of solenoid 61 rocks the shaft 65 wherein the arms 67 and 68, which are attached to shaft 65, are

coupled in the slotted portion of the bell cranks 25 and 26, respectively, as shown by pin 25b and slotted portion 25a. This pivotally moves the platen 21 to its 0 position whereby the platen rings 23 will support the pass- 5 book 50 in the line-of-print position. v

Bank passbook type documents are fabricated in a variety of sizes and with a number of pages that varies appreciably. The pages are usually hinged at the centerfold and consequently the thickness to either side of the centerfold can vary significantly. It is to this feature that the platen structuring is uniquely designed. Again noting the grooves 22 have a cross-sectional shape and size which will enable any individual ring 23 to deflect toward the adjoining annular rings 23.

In the printing operation, a line of information is printed by the print mechanism which comprises a worm screw 70 rotatably mounted between the side frames 11 and 12 and the type drive mechanism 71 which is moved laterally by the motion of the worm screw 70. A circular and flexible disk 72 carries the type font or characters near its outer edge and is rotatably driven by the type drive mechanism 71. When the type character 72a is in the proper position the printing is effected by actuation of the print hammer 73. The type drive mechanism 71 is then incrementally advanced to the next character position where another character printing operation is effected. This character print operation is repeated until the entire line of information has been printed.

After the printing operation has been completed, the feed positioning solenoid 51 and the print positioning solenoid 61 are de-energized where upon the platen 21 will return to its normal or inoperative position a. The bank passbook 50 will be returned to the operator by any suitable repelling means, as for example, a document eject mechanism which comprises an eject arm pivotally connected by pin 101 to an eject carriage 102 which slidably moves along guide rods 103 and 104. Coil springs 105 and 106 are supported on guide rods 103 and 104, respectively. As the passbook document 50 is fed beyond the wedgeshaped bar 13, the leading edge engages the eject arm 100. When the document feeding has terminated, the eject carriage 102 will have moved so as to cause the coil springs 105 and 106 to be compressed. When solenoids 51 and 61 are de-energized, the passbook document 50 will be returned to a position where the operator can manually pick it up and remove the passbook document 50 from the machine.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A print station apparatus for feeding and printing on a passbook type document comprising, in combination:

a. a main frame including a base plate and at least a pair of side frames,

b. a rotatable document drive rod mounted between the side frames,

65 c. a rotatable platen of resilient deformable material having a plurality of annular grooves and rings alternately disposed axially thereof, said annular grooves each having a cross-section so dimenassist in visually aligning the printing line of a document,

g. a first means coupled with said pivotal means and operable to move the platen toward the document drive rod for engaging and feeding a document inserted therebetween to a predetermined position, and

h. a second means coupled with said pivotal means and operable to move the platen to a printing position.

2. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including printer means movable along an axis parallel to the platen for printing along a printable line on the document.

3. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the platen is fabricated of a low durometer rubber material.

4. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the platen rubber material has a durometer in the range of 20 to 50.

5. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means coupled with said pivotal means is connected with solenoid means and is electromagnetically controlled.

6. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second means coupled with said pivotal means is connected with a second. solenoid means and is electromagnetically controlled. 

1. A print station apparatus for feeding and printing on a passbook type document comprising, in combination: a. a main frame including a base plate and at least a pair of side frames, b. a rotatable document drive rod mounted between the side frames, c. a rotatable platen of resilient deformable material having a plurality of annular grooves and rings alternately disposed axially thereof, said annular grooves each having a crosssection so dimensioned and configurated as to provide a lateral expansion area for respectively adjoining annular ring portions, whereby each of said annular ring portions may undergo resilient lateral expansion to accommodate document thickness variations, d. pivotal means within said side frames for supporting the platen and wherein the platen is normally positioned in spaced apart parallel relationship to the document drive rod, e. means for incrementally driving the document drive rod and platen in movable relation, f. a wedge-shaped bar mounted in fixed relationship to the document drive rod and which functions to assist in visually aligning the printing line of a document, g. a first means coupled with said pivotal means and operable to move the platen toward the document drive rod for engaging and feeding a document inserted therebetween to a predetermined position, and h. a second means coupled with said pivotal means and operable to move the platen to a printing position.
 2. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including printer means movable along an axis parallel to the platen for printing along a printable line on the document.
 3. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the platen is fabricated of a low durometer rubber material.
 4. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the platen rubber matErial has a durometer in the range of 20 to
 50. 5. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means coupled with said pivotal means is connected with solenoid means and is electromagnetically controlled.
 6. A print station apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second means coupled with said pivotal means is connected with a second solenoid means and is electromagnetically controlled. 